Pair convicted in 2010 Chester murder

MEDIA COURTHOUSE -- Two Chester men were convicted Wednesday for the 2010 slaying of 20-year-old Jabrie Hughes.

John L. Cooper Jr., 22, of the 400 block of Whittington Place, and Myron Darnell Minor, 21, of the 2600 block of Price Street, were convicted on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and firearms offenses for the June 1, 2010, daylight shooting on the 200 block of Patterson Avenue.

During a jury trial last week before Judge Gregory Mallon, Hughes' friend, Alvin Herring, testified that he and others were hanging out on Patterson Avenue at about 7 p.m. when Cooper and Minor approached. After the two men greeted Herring, he said they noticed Hughes and pulled out handguns.

Both men told Hughes "I told you we was going to get you" and opened fire, according to Herring. After Hughes went down from the initial volley, Herring said the two gunmen continued to fire at Hughes on the ground.

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While others in the area fled as the shots rang out, Herring said he was shocked and unable to move. He said he went to Hughes, who told him he had been hit all over his body before taking a deep breath. At that point, Herring said he felt Hughes was gone and followed Cooper back to a path leading to 10th Street.

Herring and other witnesses said Cooper was limping and calling after Minor that he had been hit. Herring and another witness added that they saw Cooper raise his arm up as he passed by train tracks. Police later recovered a gun there.

Pennsylvania State Police Sgt. Mark Garrett said that gun, a .45-caliber, semiautomatic pistol, was forensically matched to four bullets removed from Hughes, as well as seven of the 15 shell casings found at the scene. Police found Hughes lying face-down on the sidewalk and bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to Crozer-Chester Medical Center, where he died at 7:27 p.m. Hughes was shot nine times, according to Delaware County Medical Examiner Fredric N. Hellman.

Hughes had been released from prison earlier that day, according to Herring. Court records indicate he pleaded guilty to a firearms offense on Oct. 17, 2008, and received a sentence of one to two years in prison.

Cooper also sought medical attention at CCMC that night, where he was confronted by police. He was initially arrested on weapons charges.

A Philadelphia man who served time with Cooper later that summer at the county prison in Concord testified that Cooper had admitted to shooting Hughes in retaliation for Hughes killing Cooper's friend, a man named "Cutty."

The shooting was one of nine Chester homicides during the months of May and June 2010, prompting then-mayor Wendell N. Butler to place a curfew on high crime areas of the city.

Cooper was represented by Coley Reynolds and Minor was represented by Karen Friel. Assistant District Attorney Michael Mattson prosecuted the case.

Mallon set sentencing for Dec. 14 pending a pre-sentence investigation.